1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to fuel compositions containing deposit control additives and methods for reducing deposits on the surface of engine components and within the combustion chamber. More specifically, this disclosure relates to fuel compositions containing a deposit-controlling amount of esteramines to inhibit and control engine deposits.
2. Background of Related Art
It is well known that automobile engines tend to form deposits within the combustion chamber and on the surface of engine components, such as carburetor ports, throttle bodies, fuel injectors, intake ports, intake valves, piston tops, and cylinder heads due to the evaporation, oxidation and polymerization of hydrocarbon fuel. These deposits, even when present in relatively minor amounts, often cause noticeable driveability problems, such as stalling and poor acceleration. Moreover, engine deposits can significantly increase an automobile's fuel consumption and production of exhaust pollutants. Therefore, the development of effective fuel detergents or "deposit control" additives to prevent or control such deposits is of considerable importance.
During engine operation, the fuel composition is exposed to a variety of conditions which can potentially result in deposit formation. For example, at a fuel injector, relatively low temperature conditions may result in deposits. At the intake valve, deposits form at somewhat higher temperature conditions, with the fuel composition experiencing significant fluctuations in temperature and pressure being as the valve opens and closes. Within the combustion chamber, the fuel composition is exposed to high temperature that can result in deposits. The nature of the deposit formed at each component is different due to the different conditions under which the deposit was produced. Accordingly, one type of additive might prevent, inhibit and/or remove deposit formation at a fuel injector, but that same additive might be ineffective at preventing, inhibiting or removing deposits within the combustion chamber. For example, a polyetheramine fuel additive is commercially available under the designation Techron from Chevron Corp. While this polyetheramine product is effective at reducing intake valve deposits, combustion chamber deposits actually increase as a result of using the polyetheramine additive. It would be desirable to provide a fuel additive that simultaneously reduces both intake valve and combustion chamber deposits.
It has now been discovered that certain esteramines are surprisingly useful for reducing engine deposits when employed as fuel additives in fuel compositions.